Zhou Snian could understand his mother’s intentions, but the biggest problem now was that he literally couldn’t push the door open!
What made it even more ridiculous was that his mother didn’t believe him.
“Mom, I really can’t push it open.”
“Can’t open it?”
Fan Cuixiang froze for a moment, then quickly walked over and gave it a tentative push.
Creak—
The door swung open.
Meng Yu was sitting in the middle of the room on a wooden bench, drinking from two large bowls of water.
When the door opened, she still had those big innocent eyes, blinking at them.
“Mom, he’s lying! How could I possibly lock myself in? He’s trying to drive a wedge between us!”
Could you even listen to what you’re saying?
Zhou Snian took a deep breath, unable to argue.
Only someone who has been wronged knows just how wronged they really are.
Fan Cuixiang gave Meng Yu a strange look, then turned to her eldest son.
She didn’t doubt that her son would try to drive a wedge between their so-called “mother-daughter-in-law relationship,” but if he refused to go back to his room, who knew what trouble might arise?
“Snian?”
What more could Zhou Snian not see?
It was obvious his mother believed her.
There was nothing left to argue.
He looked at Meng Yu, only to see her smugly raising an eyebrow.
That little-victorious expression, she played it to perfection!
Zhou Snian nodded.
Good! Very good!
Finally, after repeatedly reassuring his mother, he managed to get her to return inside and successfully tricked her out of the thick hemp rope she was holding.
Once the door was closed, Zhou Snian turned to Meng Yu.
She was still sitting there, a teasing smile on her face.
“So, how does it feel to be wronged?”
Zhou Snian sat on another wooden bench.
“So it was on purpose?”
“Yes.”
Meng Yu nodded.
It was deliberate.
This man was on constant alert around her every day—it wasn’t a life anyone could live like that. If she didn’t fight back, she wouldn’t be the Meng Yu everyone knew.
Now it was time to let him experience the helpless frustration of being utterly outwitted.
Zhou Snian glanced at her.
Could he not see her little scheme?
For the past few days, she had treated him like air—that was her way of holding a grudge.
Lifting his chin, Zhou Snian pointed at the kang.
“Can I sleep on the kang tonight?”
Meng Yu smiled and shook her head.
“No.”
He wasn’t surprised in the slightest.
He didn’t even ask why; he simply took an old straw mat from the cabinet, unfolded his treasured army backpack, arranged it neatly, and lay down perfectly straight.
Meng Yu watched the entire process from start to finish, especially admiring the fluid, effortless way he moved. She gave a thumb’s up.
Impressive.
She climbed onto the kang to sleep as well.
But since she could remember, she had always slept alone. Tonight, with an extra breathing sound beside her, Meng Yu couldn’t fall asleep.
She tossed and turned on the kang, while the man on the straw mat on the floor didn’t move an inch.
The next morning, Zhou Snian got up early, returned everything to its place, and left the room, while Meng Yu was still fast asleep.
No choice—she finally fell asleep in the early hours of the night after tossing and turning.
Fan Cuixiang and the others gradually woke up. At breakfast, Fan Cuixiang glanced at the west room.
“Still not up? We’re about to head to work.”
She shot Zhou Snian a glare.
Although she didn’t say it aloud, Zhou Snian immediately understood.
He was truly wronged!
Though, to be fair, he had also done it deliberately. She was scheming against him, but he was a grown man, a hot-blooded young man at that—wanting revenge for a slight was only natural.
He stayed until Meng Yu, unable to sleep, was completely restless.
And today, Meng Yu would have to go work in the fields with him.
“Go wake her up!”
Zhou Snian didn’t dare resist. He rubbed his nose and went to get Meng Yu.
Meng Yu was sound asleep but kept hearing a persistent buzzing by her ear.
The young lady’s morning temper was severe—frustrated, she slapped it away!
Smack!
“I’ll kill you, you stinky mosquito!”
Anger vented, she woke up.
But when she opened her eyes, she saw a dark-faced man standing on the floor. Meng Yu froze, then quickly hid the hand she had used to slap the “mosquito” behind her back.
She pursed her lips, lowered her eyes, and said nothing.
Zhou Snian chuckled at her.
“Does your hand hurt?”
Meng Yu blinked rapidly, rubbing her fingers—an unconscious gesture when nervous.
Don’t be fooled by Zhou Snian’s seemingly caring words; his tone was cold, showing just how angry he was.
Yet Meng Yu looked genuinely innocent.
“Who… who told you to disturb someone’s sleep…”
She really knew how to argue.
Zhou Snian tapped his jaw with his tongue, turned, and walked out, leaving only:
“Get up and eat. We need to work in the fields soon.”
Work in the fields?
Meng Yu hurriedly raised her head but only saw the back of the man’s head.
“Work in the fields?”
The hardest thing she had ever done in her previous life was cook a packet of instant noodles, nearly blowing up the kitchen. And now she was expected to work in the fields?
Could she refuse?
Only when she realized where she was—the 1970s—did she accept that not working was impossible.
Reluctantly, Meng Yu left her warm bed.
A peasant breakfast was always plain and simple, and the Zhou family’s meals were better than most, thanks to the allowances Zhou Snian sent back from his years in the army. Other families worked the fields year-round and could hardly save any money, so life was naturally harder.
After breakfast, Meng Yu went out with the whole family.
Xin Hongmei stayed home, as the mother and daughter-in-law alternated childcare every other day.
Fan Cuixiang knew the rural work well, so she didn’t give Meng Yu any special instructions.
But when they reached the fields, Meng Yu screamed constantly!
“Ah! Bugs!”
“Ahhh! I want to go home! I want to go home!”
Meng Yu was going crazy.
She really was losing her mind.
Why were there so many insects?!
Meanwhile, everyone around her remained calm, casually squashing them with their hands.
Weren’t they afraid?!
Finally, Meng Yu collapsed to the ground, crying uncontrollably.
Fan Cuixiang was stunned.
“What… why are you crying? This is considered easy work, and we’re letting you off lightly because you’re the new daughter-in-law.”
“Then can’t you at least take me to pull weeds?”
“Oh my, lady, can you stop crying already?!”
Fan Cuixiang was truly at a loss. She almost wished she could kneel before Meng Yu!
But Meng Yu just curled up small, holding her head and sobbing, ignoring everyone.
When Zhou Snian arrived, he saw this scene.
Although this woman could be infuriating, he couldn’t help feeling a little pity at this moment.
People around pointed and whispered, critiquing her.
Among them, Dong Xiufang was the loudest.
“All new daughters-in-law are like this. Look at the eldest daughter-in-law at the Ma family in the east—she works as efficiently as a man!”
“Now look at this one, acting so delicate. What’s the matter? Never done this kind of work at her parents’ home?”